Exeter University Geography host a Mapathon to celebrate GIS day

Exeter Geography teams up with British Red Cross to host a Mapathon at University of Exeter, helping to put vulnerable regions on the map.

GIS day aims to get people to learn more about geography and the uses of GIS (geographic information systems) technology.

Daneen Cowling and the Missing Maps team ran this student led event, with the help of Damien Mansell. By teaming up with British Red Cross Missing Maps, students contributed to a global network of Mapathons taking place throughout the week Geographers of University of Exeter and members of the public map vulnerable locations effected by natural disasters. Alumni and Red Cross volunteers were invited as guest speakers to inform the students about the various career opportunities their developing skills can be applied in.

The Missing Maps project is a humanitarian effort which aims to produce open source digital maps of unmapped and vulnerable regions, putting the world’s vulnerable people on the map.

In addition to contributing to GIS Day, the event also sat within the annual Geography Awareness week, encouraging people to think and learn about the significance of place and how we affect and are affected by it.

Dr. Damien Mansell said: “Working with Exeter Geography students on the missing maps project is both rewarding and great fun. Students put mapping skills to use in order to act as change agents and contribute to the world’s largest digital humanitarian aid effort!”

“Students are making a difference to the most vulnerable communities in the world. At the same time they are applying skills they are developing on their course and boosting their employability.”

It was an extremely successful day with around 40-50 students taking part resulting in 2,272 map edits which contributed significantly to the coverage of the poorly mapped area in Bangladesh.